Don't Let Go
by Saif Reynolds
Summary: A story from Francesca Arianna, a.k.a. Eva Londe, an Alliance pilot on board the Creek. Set in the 'Verse without any of the show's charries.


I was exactly where I wanted to be, in his arms. Even while he slept he held me so tight, as if he feared he'd lose me. I miss that something terrible, the feeling of pure love in my heart and beside me. I lay there one morning, unable to sleep. Then again, who needs to dream when you have the real thing?

I watched his scarred chest rise and fall, making up stories for the injuries he didn't explain. He was open with me, but there was pain that ran deep from the war that he didn't care to talk about. But he'd survived it, on the winning side.

The last ship I was on, Charlotte, spouted nothing but their hatred of the Alliance. I was angry with my father and hopped on the first ship I found. Seven years on an Independent cruiser. They fed me, looked after me, taught me to fly. It was hard to take sides when both had been so good to me. But I'm definitely Alliance. I try to block out the violence and murder, all the corruption, and focus more on the good they do. Even if that's hard to do at times.

I traced one of his wounds with my finger tips. He shifted in his sleep a little before waking.

"Fran?.." He smiled at me.

Rodriguez always called me Fran, well, in private. He's the only one I've entrusted with my name that didn't already know it, like Lily Quayle on Charlotte. To everyone else I'm Eva Londe. I can't even remember why I chose that name. It must have popped into my head that day in the shipyard.

"Hey," I smiled back.

"What time is it?. Not that I wanna get up.." He sat up a little bit to check the time and I leaned into him. "Nine.. Well that's not good.. We've got a delivery at ten."

"I better get this baby off auto-pilot then."

I kissed him before getting out of bed. I got dressed, pulling on a pair of boots and a white dress.

"See ya in the office, Cap'n!"

I climbed up out of the bunk and headed to the cockpit to make sure we were going the right way. We had a big delivery of medical supplies for Ariel. The job was risky, what with all the scavengers about. Some would do anything for a pay out. I know that not all Independents are like this, but a lot of the leeches that drain a ship dry tended to be of the Browncoat persuasion. Needless to say, with the cargo we had, we were on our toes.

On my way to the cockpit I bumped into Alina, our doctor. She was a nice woman, if a little intense. I don't think she liked me very much.

"Ava," she nodded a 'hello'.

I grinned at her through gritted teeth. Every single day. Ava. Yes, it isn't my actual name either way, but it's still irritating. She done it on purpose, I know she did!

"Dr. Novikov," I nodded. Even though she annoyed me, she still scared me a little. In all my time onboard The Creek I never called her Alina, or any variation of it. The fact that she was holding her medical bag - which contained scalpels - didn't help put me at ease.

I couldn't help but notice a quiver in her voice. That was quite unusual.

"What's wrong?" I took a step forward.

She shook her head very slightly from side to side. "N.. nothing.."

That was really weird. Stuttering from Alina Novikov.. Unheard of! She was staring dead ahead, past me. I started to turn my head.

"Eva! Shouldn't you be in the cockpit?"

I stopped and turned back to her. Eva? No way.

"We'll be at Ariel soon. Could you make sure we don't crash, please?" Her voice was trying for condescending, but the pitch was more nervous.

From behind me I heard the captain's bunk door open. "Dom? What are you doing?"

I spun around to see Dom, the mechanic, standing at the other end of the corridor. He had his piece aimed at us. In between me and him was Rodriguez.

Dom hadn't been with us long. Our last mechanic, Paxon, had to leave us. He wanted to settle down with a woman he'd met on Dyton and set up his own scrap yard. We'd stopped off on New Melbourne on a pick up. That's where we met Dom. He had fantastic recommendations. There was no way of knowing they were faked. Who knows how much of the goods he swiped over the few weeks he was onboard. Now he had a place onboard with cargo that would fetch a pretty penny. He fooled us all.

Rodriguez tried to talk him down, at least get the gun in his hand. He was very careful about sudden movements, making his way in front of me and Alina slowly. I can't remember the exact words he used. My head wasn't completely there, seeing as how there was a gun trained on it. Rodriguez had his arm around my waist, keeping me behind him.

"Save your words. I just want the cargo, you Purple Belly scum!"

With those words, he shot Rodriguez in the chest. He fell to his knees and I fell with him. I heard a second shot. My eyes darted up. Dora, covered in blood, was leaning around the corner with her gun aimed at Dom. She's shot him in the head, clean kill. Then she collapsed to the ground. Dom had attacked her earlier. Alina had been heading to the infirmary to see to her. Now she really had her work cut out for her.

I looked down at my captain, at that moment, my everything. I couldn't see him clearly through my blurry eyes.

"I'm fine, Alina. Help the captain!" Dora hollered, covering her wound as she propped herself up against the wall.

"No, ladies first.. I insist.." He managed to get out.

"Y..ou can't ins..sist, you're ble..eeding.." I could barely speak.

I gave Alina room to work on him but I didn't leave his side. I kept a tight grip of his hand, and the grasp was strong on his side too.

He spoke through coughs and gasping breaths. "Frah.. 'Fraid this could be it for me.." Even while he was dying he didn't give up my name.

"You don't get to decide that.."

"Then tell me I'll be okay.."

"You'll be okay.."

"..Tell me I'll live"

"'Till you're an old crank." The two of us laughed a sad laugh.

He knew he wouldn't have long left. That kind of wound didn't usually leave survivors.

"Tell me I'll be with you"

I lowered my head to his, the tears uncontrollable now. "Always.."

I kissed him softly. Our last kiss. I felt his grip loosen. He was falling away from me.

I stayed with him as long as Alina would allow. My snow white dress turned almost completely crimson. It clung to me like memories of him. The dress is long gone but I can still feel the weight of his death on me. That kind of thing never goes away, and I'm glad. This way he's with me forever. Always.


End file.
